July 10, 2015

Ornithophobia is a type of specific
phobia, an abnormal, irrational fear of birds.

Causes of Ornithophobia:

vYoung children can develop Ornithophobia if they have felt
threatened by aggressive birds like vultures, hawks or geese.

vIn some cases, the birds might not have shown any violence, but
their mere presence at traumatic events such as funerals or accidents can be
enough to trigger a phobia in a young child.

vBirds flying inside the homes through an open window and causing
upheaval might have made the parents nervous and this can trigger anxiety
attack in the child.

vOrnithophobia can also be instigated by folklore or movies. Alfred
Hitchcock’s film The Birds, or Edgar Allan Poe’s poem ‘The Raven’ also portray
birds in negative light or as killing machines.

vImages of carnivorous birds attacking small prey like rabbits
seen on TV shows can sometimes develop a fear of birds in young minds.

Symptoms of Ornithophobia:

vThe symptoms of ornithophobia will vary according to its
severity. You might fear only large birds, or only wild birds. You might be
afraid of specimens that have undergone taxidermy, such as those in natural
history museums. You may fear all representations of birds, including photos.

vWhen forced to confront a bird, you might shake, cry or even
freeze in place. You may run away or attempt to hide. You might also experience
anticipatory anxiety in the days before a likely confrontation with birds.